Telethon 2008 in Nicaragua

ViaNica.com | Apr 23, 2008

The main events of the 2008 Telethon in Nicaragua will take place on Friday, April 25, in Managua. This year’s Telethon brings together national and international artists, and has the aim of raising 12 million córdobas for children with “different capacities”.

The events will start at 8 AM in the Convention Center of Crown Plaza, where artists will perform and where donation collection will take place till 5 PM. Afterwards, the activities will be moved to the Plaza Maya of the Plaza Inter shopping mall (opposite of Crown Plaza). Here, performances and donation collection will continue; regular tickets to the events in the mall cost C$60; VIP tickets cost C$350. During the day, similar events are organized in cities throughout the country, notably in Chinandega and Jinotepe.

International artists that have already been confirmed to come include Chilean Miriam Hernández, Rey Ruiz, Jerry Rivera, Los Toros Bands, Franki Negron and Makano. National artists are also widely represented, and include Clara Grün, Otto de la Rocha, Salvador and Katia Cardenal, Mario Sacasa, Momotombo, Mario Montenegro and Phillip Montalbán; performing bands include Manet and La Cegua, and there are more notable artists such as Eduardo Araica, Juan Solórzano and los Macuá, Cristyana, Belén Cardenal and Norma Helena Gadea, groups such as Macolla, Los Nuevos Panzers and Las Nenas, and other artists such as Payaso Pipo, and more groups, including Club del Clown and the Ballet Folklórico Tepenahuatl.

The target of last year’s Telethon was to raise 9 million córdoba, which was amply exceeded, with a final count of 11 million 869 thousand 553 córdoba, according to the Fundación Teletón Nicaragua. For this reason, the new target for 2008 was set at 12 million, which is achievable thanks to the generosity shown by the population each year, said Leonel Argüello, president of the foundation.

The money that is raised this year will go to the Regional Rehabilitation and Early Education Center in Occidente (Chinadega) and Las Segovias (Ocotal), as well as to refuge Los Pipitos in Managua. Money will also go to the Instituto Médico Pedagógico “Los Pipitos” and to the Centros de Estimulación Temprana of Ciudad Sandino, Villa Reconciliación and Rivas, as was explained by Brenda Trejos, public relation officer of the foundation.

For the 2008 Telethon, Crisbel Sarahí Gámez Arróliga was chosen as a symbol. Crisbel is a 12-year old girl from Estelí and was born with Osteogenésis Imperfecta. This year’s Telethon will be broadcasted by all television channels in the country, as well as by several radio channels, who will report of the progress of the day’s events.

The Telethon is organized annually in Nicaragua since 2001, and is tied to the Asociación de Padres de Familia con Hijos Discapacitados “Los Pipitos”, who group together more than 16 thousand different families from 75 Nicaraguan municipalities (according to data published on the website of the foundation).

How to donate

There are several ways to contribute to the Telethon 2008. One way is to donate to one of the thousands official collection boxes, to be found in public places throughout the country or carried around by volunteers in the bigger cities. Donations can also be made on Friday, April 25, at the location of the events, and money can be wired to the bank accounts which have been opened for the occasion. For more information, please visit the website www.teleton.org.ni.